Mushroom 'Meat' Pasta Ragu

Nutrition per serve

Ingredients

• 1pcs carrot
• 1pcs eggplant
• 2clov garlic
• 1bunch thyme
• 1bunch parsley
• 1pcs vegetable stock cubes
• 5g Italian seasoning
• 400g diced tomatoes
• 50g tomato paste
• 250g mushroom meat
• 200g shell pasta
• 15ml olive oil
• 250ml (1 cup) boiling water
• 3ml sugar
• 3ml red or white wine vinegar

Method

1. Step 1 — Prep ingredients
   Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to the boil for the pasta. Finely chop the carrot. Cut the eggplant into 1cm chunks (only 300g/3½ cups eggplant is required). Crush or finely chop the garlic. Finely chop the thyme leaves, discarding the tough stems. Finely chop the parsley, including the stems.
2. Step 2 — Start sauce
   Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a medium deep frypan over medium-high heat. Cook the carrot, stirring regularly, for 2-3 mins until beginning to soften. Add the eggplant, garlic, thyme and half the parsley and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 mins until the eggplant is browned and softened.
3. Step 3 — Simmer sauce
   Crumble 1 stock cube* into a heatproof jug, add 250ml (1 cup) boiling water and stir to dissolve. Add the stock, Italian seasoning, tomatoes, 1 tbs tomato paste*, ½ tsp sugar and ½ tsp red wine vinegar to the vegetables, stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
4. Step 4 — Cook mushroom meat
   Separate the mushroom meat into small chunks, add to the sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 mins. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 10 mins or until the mushroom meat is tender and the sauce is slightly thickened. Taste, then season with salt and pepper.
5. Step 5 — Cook pasta
   While the mushroom meat is cooking, cook the pasta in the pan of boiling water for 11 mins or until al dente. Reserve 80ml (⅓ cup) cooking water, then drain the pasta.
6. Step 6 — Get ready to serve
   Stir the pasta into the sauce. Gradually add the reserved cooking water, stirring constantly, until the sauce coats the pasta. Divide the pasta among bowls and scatter with the remaining parsley to serve.

Allergens

Sulphites, Soy, Gluten, Wheat